Broom



May 28, 1940.

J. R. KINNEY BROOM Fi led June 21, 1937 Patented I 1940 PATENT mm BROOM Justus It. Kinney, Boston, Mass.

Application June 21, 1937, Serial No. 149,342

10 Claims. (01. 1s-'1coi This invention relates to brooms and particularly to brooms adapted for use in sweeping streets, stables, halls, lawns and'similar surfaces,

and the principal object of the invention is to produce a very durable broom which will be very effective in operation and will thoroughly clean any surface on which it is used.

The invention consists of a head formed of two metal members secured together and between which are secured the upper ends of a plurality \of flat plates of spring metal, the lower ends of 'said plates having upwardly extending .slits'ther'ein forming a plurality of spring fingers. The object of the invention is attained by the 15' structure of broom illustrated in the accompany-Q ing drawing.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention.

one preferred form thereof is illustrated in the drawing, this form having been, found to give 26 satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the inventi on'consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organiza- 25 tion of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described except as required by the scope of the appended claims. Of the drawing' Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a broom 80 embodying the principles of the present inven-' tion, apor'tion of the front plate of the head being broken away.

, Figure 2 represents a perspective of ,one of the slitted plates of spring metal to be secured to the 35 broom head and showing one finger thereof curved to the rearinto the position the fingers will assume when the broom is in use.

4 Figure 3 represents a horizontal section of the broom, on line 3, 3 of Fig. 1. 9 Figure 4 represents a vertical section of the broom, on line 8, 4 on Fig. 1 and Figure 5 represents a vertical section of the broom on line 6, 4 on Fig. 1 and showing the handle and upper portion of the head at arrangle to the lower part of the head and the slitted plates secured thereto,

thereby forming a push broom.

Similar-characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

9 In the drawing, l0 and H are two parallel metal members adapted to be riveted together by rivets I! to form the head of a broom. v

Each member is provided in the center thereof with an outwardly extending curved portion l3 ll adapted to form a socket to receive the lower -to receive rivets 22 by which the plates may be end' of a handle l4 which may be of any well known construction.

This handle is secured to the head members M, H bymeans of a pin l5.

Preferably the socket formed by means of the I curved portions I! is tapered as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawing.

Between-the lower ends of the metal members III, II forming the head of the broom are disposed the upper portions of a plurality of thin 10). flat plates 16 of spring metal.

These plates l6 may be-disposed between the head members 10, II in one or more rows, the plates 16 in each row being alined.

Each plate 16 is divided as indicated at I! the divisions, extending upwardly from the bottom to apoint near the top thereof, thereby forming a plurality of flat spring fingers It with their side edges in contact. I v

Normally these fingers 18 are straight from 20-- end to end with their faces alined with the faces of the upper portion!!! of each plate as shown at the left of Fig. 2 of the drawing.

When-however the broom is in use these spring fingers I I will be curved rearwardly as indicated at 2!! in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

. For very light worlr as for instance sweeping a lawn, a single'row of these plates I6 is sufiicient to accomplish the desired result.

For alittle heavier work it is preferable to dispose two rows of plates [6 between the metal head members ill, -I I, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Where heavier work is to. be accomplished a greater number of rows of plates It may be used,

' as indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

' The upper portion is of each plate I 6 is provided with two holes it, said holes being adapted secured to the head of the broom. 40

The rivets 22 are equally spaced apart so that when several plates l5 arealined and disposed between the head members 10, I l. the edges of the adjacent plates It will abut each other, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing five aiined plates it are shown but if it is desired to use a smaller number of plates 16 in the head, as for instance three. the opposite ends of the metal members 10, H may be cut off along the lines a and b.

By this means of properly spacing the rivets apart in the head members III, II, and spacing apart the holes 2| in a similar manner, any number of plates it may be used in a row from one to five by simply cutting off the opposite ends of the members l0, H as previously described.

Where only two of these plates 16 are shown in a row the contacting edges of the'two memas indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

Where ordinary light sweeping is to be done by the broom it is preferable to have the handle It in the same plane as the head members Ill and II.

Where several rows of plates I6 are used it is preferable to have the upper ends of the head members H), II bent rearwardly at an angle to the lower parts of the head members, as indicated in Fig. 5, thus forming a very effective push broom which may be used for certainkinds of .work where the broom shown in Fig. 4 could not be utilized to advantage.

This angularity of the handle l6 relatively to the lower part of the head members H), II and the plates l6 interposed between and riveted to said head members makes it possible to push the broom, this being quite essential when heavy street work is being done.

It is obvious, that by means of the construction herein shown, brooms may be made with flat spring fingers adapted for various conditions of work.

These brooms may be made in the manner described either for use in the house, on lawns, for stables, or sweeping and cleaning streets, and various other purposes.

It is believed that the operation an many advantages of the invention will be understood without further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a broom or similar device consisting of a head having depending therefrom a plurality of rows of thin fiat plates of spring metal, the upper ends of which are secured to said head and each plate having its lower portion divided into a plurality of straight fiat-faced spring fingers in straight lines extending transversely of said head with the edges of adjacent fingers in contact.

2. In a. broom or similar device consisting of a head, a plurality of rows of fiat'plates of thin spring metal, the upper portions of said plates being secured to said head, each plate having vits lower portion divided into a plurality of straight flat-faced spring fingers with the side edges of adjacent fingers in contact, the fingers in the various plates being disposed in straight lines extending transversely of said head.

3. A sweeping implement comprising two similar metal members riveted together at their upper endsaa fiat plate of spring metalsecured between the lower ends of said members and extending downwardly therefrom, the lower end of said plate having integral therewith a plurality of straight downwardly,extending fingers with the side' edges of adjacent fingers contacting and the lower ends of said fingers alined with the upper end of the plate.

4. A sweeping device having a head consisting of two similar metal members riveted together at their upper ends; a plurality of fiat plates of spring metal alined in a row with their upper ends secured between said members, the side edges of said plates abutting each other, each plate having integral therewith a plurality of straight spring fingers with the side edges of adjacent fingers contacting and the lower ends of said fingers alined with the upper ends of said plates.

5.,A sweeping device having a head consisting of two similar metal members riveted together at their upper ends; a plurality of fiat plates of spring metalalined in a row with their upper ends secured between said members, the side edges of said plates abutting each other, each plate having integral therewith a plurality of straight spring fingers withthe side edges of adjacent fingers contacting and the lower ends of said fingers alined with the upper ends of said plates and an operating harfdle secured to and extending from said head.

6. In a broom or similar device consisting of a head comprising two similar metal members riveted together in parallelism; a flat plate of spring metal of which the upper end isinterposed between the lower ends of said members and riveted thereto, said plate having at its lower end and integral therewith a plurality of straight fiat-faced spring fingers with the side edges of adjacent fingers contacting and the lower ends of said fingers alined with the upper ends of said plate, the length of each finger being substantially fifteen times greater than he width thereof.

7. In a broom or similar device consisting of each plate having at its lower end and integral therewith a plurality of straight fiat-'facedspring' fingers with their side edges contacting and their 1 lower ends alined with the-upper end of said plate.

8. In a broom or similar device consisting of a head comprising two similar metal members riveted together in parallelism; a plurality of rows of fiat plates of spring metal with adjacent faces in contact'with each other, the upper ends of said plates being .interposed between the lower ends of said members and secured thereto, each plate having at its lower end and integral therewith a plurality of straight fiat-faced spring fingers, the fingers in the various plates being disposed in straight lines extending transversely of said head.

9. In a broom or similar device consisting of a head having depending therefrom a plurality of rows of fiat plates of spring metal, the upper ends of which are secured to said head and each plate having at the bottom thereof a pluralityof straight fiat-faced spring fingers in straight 

